“I think what industry and the Maritime Exchange is trying to prove Unfortunately, the department is also one of the biggest polluters because of its aging sewer system. Environmental groups that fear losing the river’s Clean Water Act designation arise to support the City Council.įurther complicating matters is the Philadelphia Water Department, which draws drinking water from the river.

The letter urged some members of the Philadelphia City Council to write their letter asking to open the river. It means that people can use it for recreation without getting sick from water contamination. Environmental advocates want to change it to what’s known as “primary contact” under the Clean Water Act. Today, the river is allowed for “secondary contact,” including rowing, powerboating, and fishing. Their protest is part of a revived debate on a regulatory issue. In a letter to the City Council in December 2021, the nonprofit Maritime Exchange for the Delaware River and Bay pushed back against a change in the river’s resignation due to safety concerns. That includes the 453 billion port industry, environmental groups, the Philadelphia Water Department, and Philadelphia City Council.

The issue involved some of the largest stakeholders on the river. There is a brewing debate about who gets to use the Delaware River in Philly and what pollution level is allowable. It runs between the Tacony-Palmyra and Commodore Barry Bridges, where people can utilize it for non-motorized recreation. Sadly, not in the area where it runs through Philadelphia.Įnvironmental campaigners have worked for several years to change the designation of a 27-mile stretch of the river. People can swim, tube, Jet Ski, paddleboard, and kayak in the Delaware River. The Delaware River, a major river on the Atlantic Coast of the U.S., runs undammed for 338 miles from New York to Cape May.

Can i kayak at delaware park casino